Metal sheet stacker



Aug. 18, 1953 Filed Oct. 31, 1949 s. R. JOHNSON ETAL 2,649,302

METAL SHEET STACKER l6 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS SeoZZ 1?. (Johnson and f rzes I. PVzZier are Aug. 18, 1953 s. R. JOHNSON ET AL 2,649,302

METAL SHEET STACKER Filed Oct. 31, 1949 16 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS scoff J 2. Jbfinson and CharZesrl Vczter a az g- 1953 s. R. JOHNSON ETAL 2,649,302

- METAL SHEET STACKER Filed Oct. 31, 1949 16 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS ScoZZ R-Joh'nson and CB7f arZe-s TWaZZeT' M, 0312;, A115; M

Ag. 18, 1953 s. R. JOHNSON ETAL 2,649,302

METAL SHEET STACKER Filed Oct. 31, 1949 16 Sheets-Sheet s g k) INVENTORS Q Scoiifi. 07l-nson nd Q CharZe-ST War 2% e1 Aug. 18, 1953 s. R. JOHNSON ETAL METAL SHEET STACKER l6 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed Oct. 31, 1949 IN V EN TORS Mum Sum Scoii R J'ofincon and Char-ZesTWaZZ'er 5. R. JOHNSON ETAL Aug. 18; 1953 METAL SHEET STACKER l6 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed 00%- 31, 1949 & Sd m o n a T a e N.. m 4 I a a Aug. 18, 1953 s. R. JOHNSON ETAL METAL SHEET STACKER l6 Sheets-Sheet 9 INVENTORS Filed Oct. 51, 1949 Aug. 18, 1953 s. R. JOHNSON ETAL METAL SHEET STACKER Filed 00*. 31,

16 Sheets-Sheet 10 L Q o 1 Aug. 18, 1953' s. R. JOHNSON ETAL ,5

I METAL SHEET STACKER Filed on. 51, 1949 1e Sheets-Sheet 11 1EEU INVENTORS SCOZZ R l7o7znso7z and ChQTZe TWQZZ r' wmmm M 18, 1953 s. R. JOHNSON ETAL 2,649,302

METAL SHEET STACKER Filed Oct. 31, 1949 1a Sheets-Sheet 12 I I E; E- ScoZZ licfo -vpaon and Aug. 18, 1953 s. R. JOHNSO-N ETAL METAL SHEET STACKER ,16 Sheets-Sheet l3 Filed Oct. 31, 1949 scoff info/$11,307: and

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METAL SHEET STACKER Filed Oct. 31, 1949 l6 Sheets-Sheet 14 1953 s. R. JOHNSON ET AL 2,649,302

METAL SHEET STACKER Filed Oct. 31, 1949 16 Sheets-Sheet l5 [L] 0 N3 z\ m m F I INVENTORS SCOZZ jicfohnson and CharZST alter BY m, F1142 awa Patented Aug. 18, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METAL SHEET STACKER Application October 31, 1949, Serial No. 124,632

33 Claims.

The invention relates generally to the art of handling metal sheets and primarily seeks to provide a novel apparatus for receiving such sheets, oneby-one, as from the conveyor wickets of an oven, and stacking them on a skid in a compact pile so that they can be quickly and conveniently stored.

In the preparation of metal sheets for the manufacture of cans and can ends, the sheets are lacquered, or lithographed, or otherwise coated, and then are conveyed uprightly on a conveyor and against supporting wickets through suitable oven structures wherein the coatings are baked. Obviously, the handling of the hot, coated sheets at the discharge end of the oven presents difficulties, and considerable speed and accuracy is required in properly taking the sheets from the wickets and arranging them in the desired compact stack formation. Apparatus designed for properly accomplishing this purpose must be capable of operating rapidly and accurately, without marring the freshly coated sheet surfaces, and it must be capable also of inverting each sheet received therein before it is stacked when the positions the sheets are to assume in the stack demand such inversion. It is a purpose of the present invention to provide a sheet stacking apparatus capable of accomplishing the stated purposes with great efficiency and dispatch.

An object of the invention is to provide a sheet stacking apparatus of the character stated in which there are included means for receiving the sheets one by one from the oven wickets and dropping them in accurate position on a skid, either directly or after inversion, and, automatically lowering the skid, step-by-step as the sheets accumulate thereon.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sheet stacking apparatus of the character stated wherein the means for receiving the sheets from the oven wickets includes a magnetic roll engaged by that portion of each sheet extending radially beyond a wicket, auxiliary belts disposed toengage portions of each sheet which might project laterally of a wicket, other conveying belts. and a pair of grip rolls, and a diverter gate shiftable to direct sheets from said rolls directly onto the stack, or into the sheet inverting means.

2 tact with the lower belts, or underlying sheets, by the gravity action of free presser pulleys.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sheet stacking apparatus of the character stated wherein the sheets are stacked between cooperating side, front and rear guides, two such guides being movable manually toward or from each other for varying their spaced relation, and the remaining two guides being so movable by mechanical means.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sheet stacking apparatus of the character stated wherein are included novel projectable and retractable fork devices placeable to support .infeeding sheets temporarily while a skid and a stack thereon are being removed from the apparatus and an empty skid is placed to receive the temporarily collected sheets from the fork means as it is retracted and take over the supporting of the accumulating stack of sheets.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sheet stacking apparatus of the character stated wherein the sheet supportins fork means are spring projected and fluid pressure retracted and are assembled on and movable with the supports on which certain of the sheet stacking sheet stacking apparatus of the character stated wherein there are included novel stack contact actuated devices for bringing about the skid lowering operation-of the screws automatically and by step-by-step movements, said devices being supported upon one of the stack guide adjusting devices so as to partake of movement of adjustment with the associated guide.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sheet stacking apparatus of the character stated wherein the skid lifting and lowering screws are driven by novel sprocket and chain devices so constructed and arranged as to permit adjustment of the spacing of the screws with the associated stack guides without varying the length of the chain.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the ap- Figure 6 is a left side elevation of the guide shown in Figure 5.

Figure 7 is an enlarged right side elevation illustrating the sheet reversing means,

Figure 8 is a fragmentary detail perspective View illustrating one of the upper roller bearings of the sheet reversing means.

Figure 9 is a plan view illustrating the reversing means shown in Figure '7, parts being broken away and in section.

Figure 10 is an enlarged plan view illustrating the means for feeding the sheets into the stacking devices, either directly, or through the sheet reversing means.

Figure 11 is a detail vertical cross section taken on the line I l-l I on Figure 10.

Figure 12 is a detail vertical cross section taken on the line l2! 2 on Figure 10.

Figure 13 is a fragmentary plan view illustrating one of the laterally adjustable supporting guides for engaging and aligning the lateral edges of the sheets as they are falling.

Figure 14 is a detail vertical cross section taken on. the line i il l on Figure 13.

Figure 15 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical cross section illustrating one of the sheet guiding and forking assemblies.

Figure 16 is a detail vertical cross section taken on the line iE-l 6- on Figure 15.

Figure 17 is a detail vertical cross section taken on the line i'i-l l on Figure 15.

Figure 18 is a plan view illustrating the drive for the lifting and lowering screws, parts being broken away.

Figure 19 is a rear edge view of the parts shown in Figure 18.

Figure 20 is an inside face view of one of the skid supports and the cooperating lifting and lowering screw, the guide column supporting slide devices being shown in dot and dash line phantom.

Figure 21 is a vertical cross section taken on the line 2 i2| on Figure 20.

Figure 22 is a plan View illustrating the means for adjusting the laterally spaced relation of the skid supports, the supporting frame structure being shown in dot and dash line phantom.

Figure 23 is a right side elevation of the parts shown in Figure 22.

Figure 24 is an enlarged detail elevation illustrating the means for automatically controlling the lowering of the skid step-by-step, parts being broken away and in section.

Figure 25 is an inside edge view of the parts shown in Figure 24.

Figure 26 is a detail horizontal section taken on the line 2 6-25 on Figure 24.

Figure 27 is a detail vertical cross section illustrating the control dashpot.

Figure 28 is an enlarged detail horizontal section illustrating one of the air and spring actuators for the fork means, and the control therefor.

Figure 29 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 28-28 on Figure 28.

Figure 30 is a detail vertical cross section taken on the line 3t3@ on Figure 29.

Figure 31 is a somewhat diagrammatic vertical cross sectional View illustrating the cooperative relation and mounting of the upper and lower limit switches which serve to discontinue operation of the skid lifting and lowering screws at the upper and lower limits of the skid travel.

Figure 32 is a somewhat diagrammatic right side elevation illustrating the arrangment of the several electrical controls embodied in the improved apparatus.

Figure 33 is a wiring diagram illustrating one acceptable manner of electrically connecting the several controls shown in Figure 32.

In the example of embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, there i included a frame structure having corner standards 5 which are adjustable as to height, as at 6, and connected intermediately of their height by side frame pieces I. At their upper ends the corner standards are connected by side frame pieces 8, by a front end piece 9, and by a rear end piece l0. Each of the end pieces 9 and Iii carries a slide guide II, the purpose of which will become apparent as the description progresses. See Figures 1, 2, 3 and 32.

Sheet feeding means The means for receiving the sheets from the wickets of an oven, or from other delivery means is best illustrated in Figures 1, 2, l0 and 12 of the drawings. Mounted in brackets I2 ailixed as at It to the front end frame piece 9 are a pair of upper and lower shafts I 4 which are gear coupled as at l5 and equipped with cooperating gripping rolls [6. A rod IT is rockably mounted in the brackets H2 in the manner clearly illustrated in Figures 10 and 12, and said rod is rockably adjusted as at I8 and has two diverter bars l3 fixed thereon. As will become apparent hereinafter, when the diverter bars 19 are elevated in the manner illustrated in Figures 1 and 12 they will serve to divert sheets passing through the grip rolls i6 upwardly into inverting means to be described hereinafter, and when the bars I 9 are lowered, sheets passing through the grip rolls It will pass directly to the stack without being invertedv Two triangular support frame members 20 are provided and are pivotally supported on the lower shaft 14 and are connected by a slotted channel member 2|. Sheet edge guides 22 are laterallyadjustably mounted as at 23 on the transverse channel member 2|, and said channel member,

also serves as a mounting for a center support bar 26, the same being secured thereon as at 25.

The support frame members 21! have bearings 26 thereon in which a cross shaft 2'! is rotatably mounted, and a magnet r011 28 is secured on said cross shaft. Small pulleys 29 are laterally-ad- Justably mounted as at 39 on the cross shaft 27, and said shaft also is equipped with a driving sprocket 3 I. Feeder belts 32 take over the pulleys 29 and over pulleys 33 which idle over studs 34, the latter being laterally-adjustably mounted as at 35 in arms 36 extending from the frame members 29.

It will be apparent by reference to Figure 12 that a cross rod 31 connects the frame members 2|]- at their lower extremities and sai'd rod is equipped with depending lugmeans38 which engage between abutments-39 adjustably mounted on stud means 40 secured to the main frame structure. It will be apparent that by altering the positions of the abutments 39, the whole sheet infeeding means can be tilted upwardly or downwardly about its pivotal-mounting on the lower cross shaft I4. I

' A large pulley 4| is secured on the upper cross shaft I4 and rotation is impartedthrough this pulley to the sheet infeeding means in a manner which will become apparent hereinafter. The sprocket 3| on the magnet roll shaft is driven by a chain 42 trained-over the sprocket 43 n-the lower cross shaft I4 and said shaft |4is equipped with a sprocket 44 from which the :sheet inverting means to ,be described hereinaiter is driven through a chain 45. As previously stated, the upper and lower cross shafts I4 are gear coupled as at I5, and the pulley: 4| 'on the: lower cross shaft may be driven by a belt 46 from a pulley 41 secured on the drive shaft of the ,infeed driving motor which isadjustably mounted .as at 49 on the frame structure in the manner clearly illustrated in Figure 32;

Sheet inverting means The sheet inverting means is best illustrated in Figures 1, 3, 7 and 9 from which it will be apparent that the frame side members 8 support upright frame members 50 whereon are supported two upwardly inclined frame channels 5| having bearing brackets 52 secured on their lower end portions. The brackets 52 support bearings 53 in which two shafts 54 are rotatably mounted, said shafts being gear coupled as at 55. The lower shaft 54 is equipped with a sprocket 56 to which rotation is imparted by the previously described chain 45 from the sheet infeeding means. The shafts 54 also are equipped with pulleys 52'.

The frame channels 5| have brackets 58 secured to their upper end portions, 'and said brackets support two cross shafts 59 about which pulleys 6|] idle. Upper and lower belt sets 6| take over the upper and lower pulley sets 51and 6!], and over pulleys 62 idling over lower cross shafts 63 secured to the frame beams 5| and upper pulleys 64 which idle over upper cross shafts 65 resting in forked bearings 66 afiixed to the channel members 5|. It will be apparent by reference to Figures 1, 7 and 8 that the trunnions 'of the shafts 65 rest freely on the forked supporting brackets 66, and the weight of the pulleys 64 will yieldably press the lower flights of the upper belts 6| against the upper flights of thelower belt 6| or any sheet which may be passing between the same.

Hanger rods 61 are suspended from the lower cross shafts 63 and serve a purpose to be described hereinafter.

The upper brackets 58 have supporting angles 68 attached thereto, and these and the upper cross shaft 59 serve to support side and intermediate sheet reversing guides 69 and min the manner clearly illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 8 and 9. All of the side and intermediate guides 69 and M are connected by a cross rod 1| and are additionally supported as at 12 on the rear frame piece Ill. The side guides 59 may have side closure plates I3 attached thereto, as at 14, and inner guides 15 also may be provided and supported in spaced relation within the guides 69 and"!!! in thevmanner illustrated in Figure 1. r

' Skid supporting assemblies At each side of the machine a skid supporting assembly is mounted, said assemblies being laterally-adjustable so as to permit the ,Qvarying of the spaced relation thereof. These assemblies are best illustrated in Figures 1 to 4,' and 20 to 23, and each includestwo transverse angle members 16 which are slidable over the frame guides Land connected by a rigid longitudinal member "I1. Keepers are secured to the angles 16 and engage under the guides II serving to prevent upward movement of the assemblies. 7

. A shelf 19 is secured in horizontal position on each longitudinal member 11, as by welding, and each said shelf is equipped with two upstanding guide sleeves 8!) from which supporting andguiding columns 8| depend in the manner indicated in Figures 3, 20 and 21. Sleeve members 82 are vertically slidable on each cooperating pair of columns 8|, and each cooperating pair of sleeves is connected by an angle member 83 to which. a supporting plate 84 is attached in depending're lation as shown in Figures 20 and 21. Askid supporting angle 85 is secured to the lower edge portion of each support plate 84 with its horizontal flange portion inwardly directed, and the outwardly directed flange of each angle member 83 is apertured to receive an adjuster-screw. in the manner clearly illustrated in Figure 21. Each adjuster screw is threaded through a sup.- port sleeve 81 beneath the horizontalfiange of the respective angle member 83, and-each said sleeve has a ball head 88 engaged in a ball socket formed in a socket member 39 secured to ,said angle member flange. A pin 90 extends through each socket member and engages in a recess in the ball head so as to secure the sleeve against rotation while permitting a limited amount of freedom of the ball to move in the socket. This ball and socket arrangement provides suilicient flexibility to eliminate the necessity of very accurate machining. and it is preferred that the screws be of the double thread type so as to bring about rapid lifting and lowering of .the skids. Such threads of one-half inch pitch having a helix angle of about eight degrees have been found practical.

At its upper end each screw has a reduced actuater end portion BI and is rotatable in. a bearing 92 secured on the respective shelf 19, being held against upward movement by a collar 93 secured thereon immediately beneath the shelf 19. The particular means for driving the screws and the operation thereof will be described in detail hereinafter.

Two transverse adjuster screws 94 having reversed threads 95 and 96 at their respective ends are held captive and are rotatably supported in bearings 91 provided therefor on the supporting frame structure in the manner clearly illustrated in Figures 22 and 23. These screws are caused to turn in unison by a sprocket and chain couple 9B, and one thereof has a crank 99 secured there to. The longitudinal members 'I! are apertured as at I80 to allow the screws '94 to pass therethrough, or in other words to permit said members TI to partake of lateral movement of adjustment relative to said screws. Longitudinal channel members IIJI are secured as at I02 to each pair of angle members I5 and adjuster sleeves I03 through which the screws 94 are threaded, are secured, as at I04, to each channel member |0|. Thus it will be apparent that as the crank 99 is manually rotated the screws 94pwillrbe caused to rotate in unison by reason of the chain and sprocket couple 98. As the crank 99 is rotated in one direction, the skid supporting assemblies, including the lifting and lowering screws 86 will be moved apart, because of the engagement of the reversed threads 95, 96 in the nuts I03, and when the crank is turned in the opposite direction said assemblies will be moved toward each other.

The longitudinal channel members I! also serve as supports for side guides I which are secured to and depend from said channels in the manner clearly illustrated in Figure 3. Each said guide is horizontally slotted as at Ito to adjustably receive the slotted end extensions I t! of an edge fall guide I08. See Figures 1, 3, 13 and 14. It will be apparent by reference to Figures 2 and 3 that as each sheet is fed longitudinally between the side guides I05 it will fall onto the guides I88 while it is moving longitudinally, and said guides will cause it to bow downwardly and control the falling thereof between the side guides I05 and onto the receiving stack. It will be ap parent by reference to Figure 13 that the guide end extensions IE? are provided with scales I69 so that the degree of projection inwardly of the guides I08 can be accurately adjusted and secured through the medium of the adjuster screws III] which pass through the transverse slots in said end extensions and are threaded into brackets II I which are secured, as by welding, to the channel members NH. The side guides I05 may be flared as at H2 at their receiving ends in the manner clearly illustrated in Figures 2 and 13.

Lowering and lifting screw: driving means The lowering and lifting screw driving means is best illustrated in Figures 2, 3, 18 and 19. A

large sprocket H3 is secured on the upper end side only as illustrated in Figure 18 by the pe l culiar positioning of a guide sprocket H5. One such guide sprocket H5 is associated with each of the large sprockets H3 and is mounted at the free end of a carrier H5 having its other end fixed as at Ill atop one of the sleeves tliwith which the particular adjuster screw 85 is mounted in assembly. The chain IIIi also passes over a driver sprocket I is secured on the uprightly disposed driver shaft of a reversible motor I 59 which preferably is of the brake equipped type so that it will stop quickly when the motor power circuit is broken. At the opposite side of the apparatus the chain passes over an idler sprocket I28 mounted on a shaft I2I which is rotatable in a bearing carried by a supporting plate I222. The plate I22 is pivoted as at I23 on the frame structure, and a compression spring I24 interposed between said plate and the opposing portion of the frame structure serves to constantly urge the plate and the supported sprocket IZfi in a direction for tightening the chain. It will be noted that the large driven sprockets I :3 engage at one side only with opposite flights of the chain H6. The driver sprocket H8, the adjacent guide sprocket I I5, and the large driver sprocket I I3 at one side of the apparatus bear identical but reversed relation to the arrangement of the idler sprocket I23, the guide sprocket I I5 and the large driven sprocket H3 at the other side of the apparatus. The driver sprocket H8 is fixedly supported on the frame structure, and so is the idler sprocket -I2il, except for the limited amount of yield permitted by the tightening spring I24, but the unit assemblies, each comp-rising the two sleeves 8B, the support I it, guide sprocket I I5 and driven sprocket I I3 as shown at the right and left hand side respectively in Figure 18, are capable of being moved apart or brought together by manipulation of the screws 9% so as to vary the spacing of the sheet guides I85. During such movement of adjustment, the sprockets H5 and I I3 of each unit assembly will merely move along the respective flight of the chain II i Without any necessity of varying the length of the chain, and while maintaining the driving relation between the chain flights and the sprockets H3 and the desired chain arranging function of the guide sprockets II5. It will also be apparent that the adjuster screws are driven in unison and in like direction regardless of the direction of rotation of the driver sprocket I I8.

The longitudinal flights of the chain intermediately of the large driven sprockets I it are sup ported in U -shaped guides I25 which are mounted on rods I25 supported on the lower ends or" the previously described angle rods 6! which depend from the lower pulley shaft 63 in the manner clearly illustrated in Figures 1, 3, 18 and 19 of the drawings.

Front and rear sheet guides and sheet supporting fork assemblies Th apparatus also is provided with front and rear sheet guides which are mechanically adjustable as to spacing in unison with projectable and retractable sheet supporting forks designed to temporarily support sheets while a skid and a collected stack of sheets are being removed and replaced by an empty skid. The arrangement of these parts is best illustrated in Figures 1, 4 and 15 to 17. The rear sheet guide is generally designated I2? and the front guide is generally designated I28. One or both of said guides may include a yieldably mounted buffer plate I29 as in Figure 15, and each includes a horizontal shelf portion I30 in the manner clearly illustrated in Figure 1.

Each of the guides I27 and I28 is secured at I3I on an angle member I32 having a pair of support rods I33 projecting therefrom and slide guided in long cylindrical guides Iei provided on a support casting I35 which is secured to the respective frame member 5 or Iii. See Figures 1 and 4. Each pair of support rods I33 is connected as at I36 and may be manually shifted to impart movement of adjustment to the guides I21 and I28, thereby to vary the spaced relation of said guides. A hand screw I537 mounted on each of the rod guides I34 may be utilized to secure the particular adjustment of the guides I2? and I28.

When a yieldable buffer I29 is to be employed it is supported on upper short guide rods I33 and lower long guide rods Ififi, all said rods being slide guided as at Hit in the respective main guide plate I2? or I23, and the lower long rods I39 being extended and having reduced end extremities I 4| slide guided as at M2 at the ends of the respective rods I33. The rods I39 are provided with abutments I43, and cushion springs I46 interposed between the abutments M3 and the guides I42-serve to yieldably project the buffer I29 in the manner clearly illustrated in Figure 15.

Each of the angle members I32 also serves as a fork support, having three angle members I45 

